The New York Yankees are sitting in first place in the AL East halfway through June, and oddsmakers like them a lot. Novig gives the Bombers a 29.1% chance to represent the American League in the World Series this year, which makes them the clear betting favorite. But as any baseball fan knows, the playoffs are a different animal. And there are three teams in the AL that could give the Yankees real problems before October even gets here.
Seattle Mariners
The Mariners are the second-most likely team to reach the Fall Classic according to Novig, sitting at 18.3%. And it’s easy to see why. Seattle’s pitching staff is flat-out nasty. Logan Gilbert, Bryan Woo, George Kirby, Emerson Hancock and Bryce Miller form a rotation that can absolutely shut down a lineup. Luis Castillo has moved into a piggyback role, which only adds depth.
The numbers back it up. The Mariners have the second-best team ERA in the AL at 3.62. They’re tied for first in WHIP (1.18). They’re second in strikeouts with 692. That kind of pitching keeps a team in every game, even when the offense is inconsistent.
And the offense is the thing holding Seattle back right now. It’s been lackluster. But Cal Raleigh is healthy again, Julio Rodriguez is heating up, and the infield features two intriguing prospects in Cole Young and Colt Emerson. If that lineup ever finds its rhythm, this team becomes a nightmare for anyone in a short series.
Tampa Bay Rays
The Rays have the second-best record in the AL, and they’d be leading any other division. That’s how brutal the AL East is. But Tampa isn’t winning with power. They’re winning with speed and defense. Kevin Cash has this team playing small ball at a level we haven’t seen in years.
The Rays lead the league in batting average (.256) and on-base percentage (.334). They’ve stolen 69 bases, third-most in the AL. And here’s the weird part: they’ve hit the fewest home runs in the conference (62) but still rank 10th in RBIs (312). They manufacture runs the old-school way.
Pitching is the real backbone though. Tampa has the sixth-best ERA in the AL (3.91) and the second-best WHIP (1.23). They strike out fewer batters than anyone in the league (587) because they don’t need to. The defense behind the pitching is one of the best in baseball. That combo can neutralize even the most powerful lineup.
Chicago White Sox
Okay this one requires a little faith. The White Sox are a surprise contender this season, and their path is built on pure power. They’ve hit 106 home runs, second-most in the AL, and their .410 slugging percentage is fifth-best in the conference.
Munetaka Murakami was tied for the MLB lead in homers before straining his right hamstring. He’s working his way back, and getting him healthy is critical. But the White Sox have a wave of exciting young prospects who are starting to click at the same time. That group has helped Chicago score the seventh-most runs in the AL (353).
The pitching has been better than expected too. Ninth in ERA (4.41) and WHIP (1.34) isn’t elite, but the defense behind the staff is strong. If Murakami comes back right and these kids keep hitting, Chicago could be that team nobody wants to face in a five-game series. They’re unproven in the biggest moments, but that kind of power can make you forget about inexperience real fast.
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